By Colin Campbell 5/08/12 10:06pm

gay marriage

Reince Priebus (Photo: YNN)

Priebus Calls Obama: ‘Pathetic,’ ‘Jellyfish’ and ‘Chicken’ in NY Interview

President Barack Obama’s vagueness on the issue of gay marriage is continuing to draw Republican ire this week, and during his interview on the Albany-based Capital Tonight earlier this evening, the head of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus, unloaded a barrage of additional criticism.

“I don’t know what the mystery is,” Mr. Priebus said, taping his side of the interview from Washington. “It’s actually just pathetic and silly at this point. I mean, he’s the President of the United States, what’s your darn position? Just say it and move on.”

Mr. Priebus went on to suggest Mr. Obama is trying to pull a fast one on the American public so that he can maintain the support of both socially conservative and socially liberal constituencies. Read More

By Colin Campbell 2/14/12 10:44am

election 2012

Senator Skelos (Photo: Facebook)

Dean Skelos Really Doesn’t Want an Earlier Primary Date

There’s currently some scuffle in Albany over the election date for the state legislature’s primaries. A judge recently set the Congressional and U.S. Senate primaries to June 26th, earlier than the originally scheduled September 11th date, to comply with federal law. Assembly Democrats have introduced a bill to bring the State Senate and Assembly primaries to this June 26th date, but the leader of the Senate Republicans, Dean Skelos told Liz Benjamin last night he really didn’t like the plan, and directly said the Assembly bill was a non-starter.

“The problem we face with a June primary date … is that you’re going to have members of the Assembly, in particular, from New York City, where most of the primaries are, … they’re going be looking for union endorsements [and] they’re going to be campaigning through the budget and end of session,” Mr. Skelos said. “If you want to bring dysfunction back to Albany, that’s what a June primary would do.” Read More

By Azi Paybarah and Reid Pillifant 6/17/11 6:12pm

The Rent Is Too...

Tweet Nearly Derails Rent Reg Extension

A deal to extend rent regulations in New York City was nearly derailed by a tweet.

According to Azi Paybarah in Albany, Capital Tonight’s Liz Benjamin asked Senator Kevin Parker a question about a possible deal with Governor Cuomo, and Parker said there was no deal with the governor, unaware that leadership had struck rent renewal deal.

Benjamin then tweeted Parker’s no deal comment. A Democratic spokesman tweeted to correct the record, but Senate Republicans — following the Capital Tonight tweet — thought there was no deal, and adjourned. Read More